Tips for Remote Leadership
We are each dealing with our personal versions of fear and disappointment. One of my personal disappointments was not having the opportunity to share our latest Couragion research at SXSW EDU. In fact, that was to be the topic of my March blog. (More to come on that later). Instead I reflected about how my past lived experiences could best serve our community and partners now.
I've been leading remote teams for my entire career. When I started working at Sun Microsystems in 2000, 40% of our workforce participated in the iWork program which means they didn't report into a physical office building. While at Sun, I learned some interesting lessons and wrote about them as I was doing my Master's research in Organizational Leadership and Organizational Development. I'd like to share a few thoughts with you.
Trust is a must. Communicate expectations to establish accountability.
Have you heard of 'management by walking around'? It's a style that involves managers wandering around the workplace at random to check on employees. I watched many traditional command and control managers struggle with simple things like the inability to see what time people were arriving or leaving work. To combat these fears, leaders should establish communication norms, rules of engagement, and accountability measures. Set deliverables that hold people accountable to outcomes not when or the amount of time spent on tasks. And remember, everyone operates differently. This is not a time for a one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. Individualization provides flexibility for people who might need a few extra minutes to prepare lunch for their kids or to quiet their barking furry companions.
Hold daily stand-ups. Practice empathy to build community.
Daily 'stand up' meetings build a sense of community. When I ran a large professional services organization, these stand ups were full of laughter and banter before we turned to work. Be sure to start off each meeting by checking in with how everyone is doing. Make time to celebrate wins and address non-work topics before jumping into the daily priorities. As a leader, share what's on your plate for the day too. This is a time for consistency and two-way communication. At the end of each meeting, offer group support to those who are struggling or need extra resources.
This Couragion Challenge is teaching students and educators about remote working, virtual communication platforms, and daily stand-up SCRUM meetings.
Two of my favorite sources for leadership content are the Harvard Business Review (HBR) and Gallup Workplace. Each have recently shared their tips on remote working in this time of swift change and uncertainty. Check out these articles for more inspiration:
A Guide to Managing Your (Newly) Remote Workers
"Research on emotional intelligence and emotional contagion tells us that employees look to their managers for cues about how to react to sudden changes or crisis situations." HBR
Leading Remotely: What Managers Need to Keep Teams Engaged
"And because 70% of an individual's engagement is driven by their manager, it's crucial that leaders individualize to best support them." Gallup
I'd like to end today with a thought from Brookings Brown Center Chalkboard that appeals to a self-proclaimed lifelong rule breaker. "Most (rules) are well intentioned, and necessary to protect health, safety, and civil rights. However, the rules are designed for normal times—and these times are anything but normal."
Couragion is a 100% virtual organization. We are here to help. Just ask.